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  Uninterruptible power supply deviceUSPTO Application #: 20080093930Title: Uninterruptible power supply device Abstract: An uninterruptible power supply device is proposed, which is designed for use in conjunction with an electronic system, such as a network server or a desktop computer, for providing an uninterruptible power supply to the electronic system. The proposed uninterruptible power supply device is characterized by the provision of a battery adaptation and management capability that allows the user to employ various types of battery units to serve as the backup power supplies. This feature allows the utilization of the uninterruptible power supply to be more flexible and convenient, and also can help solve the problem of shortened life of the battery unit due to the switching of multiple loads to the backup battery unit in the event of a failure in the main power supply. (end of abstract) Agent: Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP - Boston, MA, US Inventor: Robert Chen USPTO Applicaton #: 20080093930 - Class: 307 66 (USPTO) The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20080093930. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001]1. Field of the Invention [0002]This invention relates to power supply technology, and more particularly, to an uninterruptible power supply device which is designed for use in conjunction with an electronic system, such as a network server or a desktop computer, for providing the electronic system with an uninterruptible power supply capability. [0003]2. Description of Related Art [0004]UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) devices are widely utilized with computer platforms, such as network servers or desktop computer, for supplying an electrical power in an uninterruptible manner. A UPS device operates in such a manner that in the event of a failure to the main power source, typically the utility power, it can immediately switch the computer to a backup power source, such as a battery or a local power generator. This can help prevent permanent data loss in the computer due to an unexpected power failure. [0005]Presently, many various types of UPS devices have been developed for use with network servers. These UPS devices typically utilize a battery as the backup power source. One drawback to these UPS devices, however, is that the switching of the power connection from the main power source to the battery requires the use of a switching loop composed of a plurality of control devices and other circuit elements that are quite power consumptive. This high level of power consumption would cause the battery to be quickly drained out of power and thus cannot provide a long-time power supply to the network server. [0006]Moreover, another drawback to the present UPS devices is that the battery unit is preinstalled by the manufacturer with a fixed type and thus cannot be arbitrarily replaced by the user to any other types of batteries. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007]It is therefore an objective of this invention to provide an uninterruptible power supply device which allows the switching of the main power source to the backup power source to be less power consumptive, so that the backup power source (i.e., battery) can be used to provide a long-time power supply to the network server. [0008]It is another objective of this invention to provide an uninterruptible power supply device which allows the user to utilize various types of batteries as the backup power source. [0009]The uninterruptible power supply device according to the invention comprises: (A) a main power supply module, which is used for connection to an external power supply system for converting the output power of the external power supply system into a DC voltage and forwarding the DC voltage to an output port; (B) a battery adaptation module, which is connectable to an external battery unit for fetching a battery-supplied DC voltage therefrom, where the battery-supplied DC voltage is smaller in magnitude than the output DC voltage from the external power supply system; (C) a battery power management module, which is capable of providing a power management function for the battery unit connected to the battery adaptation module; (D) a power failure detection module, which is capable of detecting whether the output DC voltage from the output port is smaller than a predefined bottom limit; and if yes, capable of generating a switching enable signal; and (E) a power switching module, which includes a first circuit and a second circuit, and which operates in such a manner that when the external power supply system operates normally, both the first circuit and the second circuit are in a disconnected state, and when the output DC voltage from the battery unit is greater than the output DC voltage from the main power supply module, the first circuit is switched to a connected state and thereby causes the output DC voltage from the battery adaptation module to be transferred to the output port, causing the power switching module to generate a switching enable signal and the second circuit to respond to the switching enable signal by being switched to a connected state, allowing the output DC voltage from the battery adaptation module to be redirected through the second circuit to the output port and onwards to the electronic system. [0010]The uninterruptible power supply device according to the invention is characterized by the provision of a battery adaptation and management capability that allows the user to employ various types of battery units to serve as the backup power supplies. This feature allows the utilization of the uninterruptible power supply to be more flexible and convenient, and also can help solve the problem of shortened life of the battery unit due to the switching of multiple loads to the backup battery unit in the event of a failure in the main power supply. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS [0011]The invention can be more fully understood by reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, with reference made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: [0012]FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the system architecture of the uninterruptible power supply device according to the invention; and [0013]FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a preferred embodiment of a control panel on the uninterruptible power supply device of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0014]The uninterruptible power supply device according to the invention is disclosed in full details by way of preferred embodiments in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings. [0015]FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the system architecture of the uninterruptible power supply device according to the invention (which is the part encapsulated in the dotted box designated by the reference numeral 100). As shown, the uninterruptible power supply device of the invention 100 is designed for use in conjunction with an electronic system 10, such as a network server or a desktop computer (in the following embodiment, it is assumed that the network server 10 is a network server), for providing the network server 10 with an uninterruptible power supply. In application, the uninterruptible power supply device of the invention 100 is connected to an external power supply system 20, such as a utility power system or a local power generator. In normal operation, the uninterruptible power supply device of the invention 100 utilizes the external power supply system 20 as a main power source to supply a DC (direct current) voltage to the network server 10; and in the event of a failure to the external power supply system 20, the uninterruptible power supply device of the invention 100 is nonetheless able to supply a DC voltage to the network server 10 by means of a battery unit 121. [0016]As shown in FIG. 1, in architecture, the uninterruptible power supply device of the invention 100 comprises: (A) a main power supply module 110; (B) a battery adaptation module 120; (C) a battery power management module 130; (D) a power failure detection module 140, and (E) a power switching module 150. Firstly, the respective attributes and behaviors of these components 110, 120, 130, 140, 210 are described in details in the following. [0017]The main power supply module 110 is used for connection to an external power supply system 20 and capable of converting the output power (typically an AC power) of the external power supply system 20 into a DC voltage DCV1 and then supplying the DC voltage DCV1 via an output port DC_OUT to the network server 10. [0018]The battery adaptation module 120 is used for connection to a battery unit 121, preferably a rechargeable battery unit, and utilizes the battery unit 121 for fetching the battery-supplied DC voltage DCV2 therefrom as a backup power source. In the event of a failure to the external power supply system 20, the output DC voltage DCV2 of the battery unit 121 will be transferred via the output port DC_OUT to the network server 10. The battery unit 121 that can be connected to the battery adaptation module 120 is selected from the group comprising lead storage battery, fuel battery, and solar cell battery, to name just a few. The battery unit 121 can be preinstalled by the manufacturer to the uninterruptible power supply device of the invention 100 in factory, or installed by the user after purchase. The battery unit 121 is preferably a rechargeable battery unit, such that when it is installed in position in the uninterruptible power supply device of the invention 100, it can be charged by the DC power from the main power supply module 110 fetched from the external power supply system 20. Typically, the battery-supplied DC voltage DCV1 from the battery adaptation module 120 is smaller in magnitude than the output DC voltage DCV1 of the main power supply module 110 fetched from the external power supply system 20. [0019]The battery power management module 130 is capable of providing a set of power management functions for the battery unit 121 connected to the battery adaptation module 120, including, for example, a battery-capacity indicating function, a low-power warning function, and a low-power shutout function, which are respectively provided by a battery-capacity indicating unit 131, a low-power warning unit 132, and a low-power shutout unit 133. [0020]The battery-capacity indicating unit 131 is capable of indicating the current charge capacity of the battery unit 121 connected to the battery adaptation module 120 in a human-perceivable form, so as to allow the user to learn the current charge capacity of the battery unit 121. In practical implementation, for example, this battery-capacity indicating unit 131 utilizes a 5-level indicating scheme to generate a capacity-indicating message 301, by which the total charge capacity of the battery adaptation module 120 is divided into 5 levels, and an array of light-emitting diodes (LED) 210 consisting of 5 LEDs as shown in FIG. 2 is provided on the control panel 200 for indicating the 5 levels of battery capacity. In this embodiment, for example, the LED array 210 operates in such a manner that when the battery unit 121 is fully charged, all of the 5 LEDs are lit up; when 80% charged, only 4 of the 5 LEDs are lit up; when 60% charged, only 3 of the 5 LEDs are lit up; and so forth. Continue reading... Full patent description for Uninterruptible power supply device Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Uninterruptible power supply device patent application. Patent Applications in related categories: 20080169705 - Battery pack - A battery pack comprising a rechargeable power source element; an input member for connecting the battery pack to an external power source; an output member for connecting the battery pack to an external device for power supply to the external device a micro-controller for sensing at least one characteristic of ... ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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